The present invention relates an audio signal processing system and recording method which can record, via an audio signal processing apparatus (DAW), audio signals output from a mixer.
In applications of PA (Public Addressing) equipment that is broadcast equipment for transmitting sound information to many people in a facility, school or the like and in applications of SR (Sound Reinforcement) equipment that is broadcast equipment for transmitting, with uniform sound quality, performance sounds and vocal sounds to every inch of even a concert venue or other large venue, it has been conventional to pick up musical instrument performance sounds, vocal sounds and speech voices produced in a live event, mix these picked-up sounds and send the mixed sounds to power amplifiers and various recording equipment, effecters and human players executing a music performance. Generally, the conventionally-known mixers include: an I/O unit having input ports for inputting audio signals picked up by microphones and/or output from a synthesizer and output ports for outputting digital and analog audio signals; an audio signal processing unit for performing mixing processing and effect processing on digital audio signals; and a console for a user to adjust, through operation of various panel operators, a performance into a state that appears to most suitably express the performance. Amplifiers are connected to the output ports from which are output analog audio signals of the mixer, and a plurality of speakers installed in a venue are connected to the amplifiers so that audio signals amplified by the amplifiers are audibly generated or sounded through the speakers.
Further, in conventional applications of PA/SR systems, audio signals of individual channels output from a mixer are recorded onto different tracks by use of a MTR (Multi Track Recorder). Thus, in music production, sounds of various musical instruments, such as a drum, bass, guitar and piano, and vocals recorded separately can be adjusted in their respective volume and pan, an effect can be imparted to the vocals, and a different effect can be imparted for each of the musical instruments. Thus, desired music production can be performed by finely adjusting sound quality of the individual audio signals after the recording.
Further, in audio signal processing apparatus employing a general-purpose computer, it has been known to perform, through digital signal processing, audio processing, such as performance data recording and editing and mixing. Such audio signal processing apparatus are implemented by installing an application program called “DAW software” into the computer, and thus, these audio signal processing apparatus are often called “digital audio workstations” or “DAWs”. Because real-time recording is today possible thanks to an improvement of the DAW function and because the computer on which the DAW runs has a good portability, it has become popular, in the field of PA/SR systems, to perform real-time recording of audio signals of individual channels of a mixer by use of the DAW in place of the MTR.
Because the PA/SR system and recording system are often designed and operated independently of each other, necessary work from setting through to operation is normally performed separately in each of the PA/SR system and recording system. In the conventionally-known DAWs, it has been known to minimize time and labor involved in setting, from the beginning, configuration of tracks for each project by storing in advance configuration information of the tracks as a template and starting a new project with the template prestored in a program. One example of such a technique is disclosed in
“Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH CUBASE LE5 Operation Manual” pp. 9-12 available online from the Internet at <http://www.zoom.co.jp/archive/Japanese_Manual/CubaseLE5_Operation_Manual_jp.pdf>
Further, even after the mixer and the DAW are connected with each other, control is performed separately in each of the interconnected apparatus (i.e., the mixer and the DAW). For example, a parameter change in the mixer and a parameter change in the DAW are manipulated basically independently of each other. Note, however, that values of parameters of the DAW software, such as channel-specific parameters like reproduction, stop, level and mute, can be changed individually from an external controller.
Furthermore, with some of the conventionally-known DAWs, it has been contemplated to, when a project file including identification information and parameters of external equipment already set for use has been read into the DAW, detect external music equipment currently connected to a communication network, then associate the detected external equipment with the external equipment already set for use at the time of storage of the project file and then transmit parameters, stored in a parameter storage device, to the external music equipment that could be associated. In this way, it is possible to synchronize parameters between the external equipment and the parameter storage device and thereby restore, for the music equipment that could be associated, a music function available at the time of the storage of the project file (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2007-293312).
Furthermore, when audio signals of individual channels of a mixer are to be recorded in real time by use of the DAW, it is customary to individually set parameters of types that are not recorded in interlocked relation to recording of the audio signals. Particularly, for a particular type of parameter called “marker” (editing point), it is usual for a recording engineer parameter to manually put the markers at appropriate points while listening to already-recorded data after the end of a live event. Thus, the longer the time of the live event, the more bothersome would become the marker putting operation. Consequently, there has been the problem that setting of parameters would require much time and labor.